Wow, they're finally going to go after the slumlords around our two major campuses (Pitt and CMU). It's about time! I mean, seriously, the slumlord factor around there has been notorious for at least the last decade and a half. Pitt tried to set up programs involving recording the names of landlords and real estate companies that were taking advantage of students; but I think they found that the list was all of them. No, seriously, it's been that bad. It's good to see someone go after the jerks, since housing around the campuses has been very pricey for stuff that should be condemned.

On a completely different topic, in regards to a local private school district cutting out funding for all of its intermediate unit math programs (intermediate programs being those that give students extra help where they need it), the intermediate unit assistant executive director Dwight Laufman said one of the dumbest things I've read recently, "He said reading can help a student in various disciplines, including math." Uh, you know, students having trouble with math often can already read the book on the subject -- they need the EXTRA help that the program promises.

Well, this is in the district near my house. Perhaps I should go volunteer to fill the math gap up there on weekends after I'm physically able enough to do so. I mean, really, this sort of crap angers me.

Oakland housing has always been bad, but it could well be worse since I graduated Pitt in '92 (where is that walker!). I never even considered living in Oakland when I moved out of the dorm.

What that man said about math is an outrage. I had a kid who was LD in reading and a math wiz -- his only saving grace for his self-esteem. I was the opposite. You really need both programs...luckily, at my school, we do have both.

AIU serves all districts in the county except the Pittsburgh Public Schools, which has its own "special ed" unit. That "unit" serves all private schools inside the PPS district. There are no "private school districts", though.